I'd be wary of that CK, my feeling is we wouldn't want to draw the attention of certain legitimate authors of these things to this site?

OK, I asked for advice on Dhansak a few weeks ago and since then I have been perfecting it!

What I now have is a stunning replica of my locals Dhansak (even if I do say so myself? ;D), and on the subject of that taste each time I have made this I cook it early (at least 3 hours before I eat) and bung it in a casserole dish. Half an hour before I want to eat it I put it in the oven for half an hour on gas mark 4/5. I believe as a result of doing this it doesn't feel like I have just cooked it and the taste is amazing.

As I have said before make sure everything is measured and ready to go next to the cooker otherwise you will definitely burn something while you are rooting around for that bottle of lemon juice?


Dhansak recipe for 2 portions

3/4 oz red split lentils (I'm currently torn between 1.5 or 2oz lentils per person, at the mo I think 1.5)
3 TBSP veg oil
3 TBSP veg ghee
3 TBSP pasata
4 cloves garlic crushed with 1 TSP ginger puree (I personally think fresh crushed garlic is key in the taste, a lot of you use garlic ginger puree so feel free to use that. Also the 2 kitchens I have been in only use garlic, not ginger)
2 rounded TSP restaurant masala
0.5 TSP chilli powder (I use rajah extra hot which is like powdered magma, if your using anything less hot then adjust upwards)
0.5 TSP salt
0.5 TSP fenugreek leaves
4 TBSP pre cooked onions
pre cooked main ingredient for 2 (I use chicken)
2 wedges of fresh lemon (or 2 TBSP lemon juice)
fresh coriander


First off soak the lentils for 4 hours, then wash them off, add water, 1TSP turmeric, 0.5 TSP salt and bring to the boil simmer until done, 30mins-1hour. Drain and puree, set aside for later.

Put the oil and ghee in a pan on your biggest gas ring, set to maximum and wait for the oil to heat up.

Add garlic and ginger puree, cook vigorously until garlic shows the vaguest sign of going brown

Add onions and cook for ~30s

Add pasata and cook for ~20s

Add spices, chilli and salt and cook for ~20s

Add lemon wedges (if using lemon juice dont add that here, add it in with the lentils), pre cooked main ingredient and cook for ~30s

Add half a ladle of curry base and evaporate off

Add lentil puree and fenugreek, stir in, then add 1 ladle of curry gravy

Add a handful of fresh chopped coriander

Turn heat down and simmer for a minute or 2

Im with george, Ive seen the pot my local uses to make their curry gravy and its about 4 times the size of mine when I make your 600ml oil base Pete, I cant imagine this difference would result in a different taste.

All of you who say you cant get the taste, Im now of the opinion thats its all in your heads  ;D

I reckon he will be selling the secrets of the chefs book, this guy does ring a bell with me

I thought it was just used mainly for colour?

Good point John, I ve always wondered about the inclusion of certain exotic spices in a Khalia because I cant imagine they would use seperate spices so it must be something like this, cool

Quote from: DARTHPHALL on April 16, 2005, 01:45 AM
There is one other factor in my favour ,having done weight training for many years & at 5 foot 10" & 15 stone people perceive that I'm not to be f****d with

We've tried the peaceful and friendly approach, I suggest you try another approach and threaten to beat the s**t out of them if they dont tell you  ;D ;D ;D

Quote from: ghanna on April 14, 2005, 08:18 PM
Hi , All
Does any one used any meat tenderizer powder in the marinade for tandoori chicken? before.?
Thanks
ghanna

I tend to use a recipe similar to bruce edwards.

To my mind chicken tikka is easy to make as long as you do the following:

Whatever recipe you are using make sure it contains well known meat tenderisers: Yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic and ginger paste and salt

Marinade for 2-3 days

Pataks balti paste is a ruddy orangey brown, not at all like other pastes and quite smooth, sure it wasnt this?

My experience is it does build up but not to quite the same level!